Tab Generator Codeword

#n is the tab generator codeword, where n is the number of the column where the next character is to be output.

The tabbing codeword controls tabbing, taking the form #n, where n is the number of the column where the next character is to be output. For example:

The blanks in the output character string will be padded with spaces. For example:

’ABC#10DEF’

would appear on a drawing as

ABCvvvvvvDEF

(where v is used here to denote a space). The string

’#NAME#15#CATR#25#CREF’

would expand (typically) to

/PUMP1/NSvvvvv/NFJJvvvvv/PIPE1-1

If the number specified is already exceeded by the length of the output character string then a single space will be inserted. For example:

’#NAME#5#CATR#10#CREF’

would expand to

/PUMP1/NSv/NFJJv/PIPE1-1

Tabbing will take account of linefeeds within the text string, whether specified explicitly or by the new line generator code ’#/’. Hence

’#5#NAME#/#8#CATR#/#8#CREF’

would expand to

vvvv/PUMP1/NS

vvvvvvv/NFJJ

vvvvvvv/PIPE1-1

The use of this feature in combination with a fixed-width font (for example, style 6 or 7) allows you to arrange text neatly in a tabular form. Used in combination with Autotagging and the Marine Programmable Macro Language (PML), it is possible to generate schedules on drawings easily. See Schedule Generation.